Scrubs and Strollers

33

 Miranda walked into the school office to pick up Tuck and Delilah, she couldn't help but feel a sense of déjà vu. It seemed like every few years, there was another incident, another fight that led to her picking up the kids early from school.

Driving home with Tuck and Delilah in the backseat, the atmosphere in the car was palpable with tension. Miranda glanced at them through the rearview mirror, noting the subdued expressions on their faces.

"So," Miranda began, her voice gentle but firm as she navigated through traffic. "Why am I not at work, and instead picking up two suspended children from school"

Tuck shifted uncomfortably in his seat, glancing at Delilah before speaking. "I got mad and... things got out of hand."

Delilah looked down, her fingers fidgeting with the hem of her shirt. "Same here"

"Kids, we've talked about this how many times" She sighed

"We just... lost our tempers," Tuck admitted, his voice tinged with regret.

Delilah nodded in agreement, her expression somber. "We didn't mean to, but... it just happened."

"What did those kids do to deserve you two deciding you're a tag team" She asked

"Those kids were annoying us all day, and we just snapped." Tuck sighed

"We were having a bad day," Delilah added softly. "And these kids just... pushed our buttons."

"I want to understand exactly what those kids said to you, that made you both snap," she said gently. "Can you tell me?"

Tuck and Delilah exchanged a glance before Tuck spoke up. "They were just... acting obnoxiously"

"You're going to have to do better than that" She shook her head " That doesn't tell me anything"

"It was like they were looking for a fight," Delilah added

"Okay, we've been through this before. Were they bullying one of you" She asked

"No. not this time," he admitted with a sigh. "They weren't necessarily picking on us or anything, but they were just being really annoying."

Delilah sighed "Yeah, they were just being loud and disruptive," she added. "It felt like they were trying to get a reaction out of everyone around them."

Miranda took a moment to gather her thoughts before pressing further. "And why did you two react in the manner you did"

"It just got under our skin." Delilah looked down at her feet avoiding Miranda's intense gaze in the mirror.

Miranda listened carefully, absorbing their words as she processed the information. It was clear that the other kids' behavior for some reason had pushed Tuck and Delilah to their limits, but she also understood that their reaction was disproportionate to the situation.

"Okay, you both really aren't giving me anything so I'll say this and then we can continue this with your father."She sighed "I understand that you both have strong feelings. But yet again I find myself lecturing you two that we need to find better ways to handle these situations without resorting to fighting."

Tuck and Delilah nodded, their expressions reflecting a mix of understanding and regret. They knew that while the other kids' behavior wasn't an excuse for their actions, it did provide some context to their emotional state at the time. Or at least that's how they saw things.

"Alright, you two will have to sit in my office while I work," she said, her tone gentle but firm as she glanced back at them. "Maybe think about what you've done to get a 3-day suspension"